Can Dana Point find its mojo?

Point where Coast Hwy. divides as it passes through downtown Dana Point. The city is planning a $19 million redo of the area that will make it more walkable, dynamic, and attractive for visitors. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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That vibe is the pulse coming from neighboring Laguna Beach, where trendy restaurants, unique boutiques and high-end galleries crowd with visitors and locals.

That vibe is also the calm cool from neighboring San Clemente steeped in a surf culture with world class Trestles beach and a colony of surf industry manufacturers and surf media headquarters.

Boehne operates Infinity, a custom surfboard shop his parents started on Del Prado in Dana Point beginning in the 1980s. The shop is a destination for avid surfers, stand up paddlers and long boarders. But it doesn't get a lot of walk-in traffic. Speeds on the street make it difficult for passers-by to peruse shops and the area needs to become more pedestrian-friendly, he says.

"I'm a resident and I go to Laguna Beach or San Clemente for restaurants," Boehne said. "People expect nice restaurants and things to do here, too. Some new places are starting to come and it's beginning to change from the sleepy, old-time Dana Point where you go walk the harbor with your grandparents and go to the Chocolate Soldier."

Boehne, other merchants and locals are anxious for more change expected to come as the city gets serious and begins work on its Town Center plan. The plan was developed by the city in 2006 as way to transform Dana Point from a sleepy, beachside town into a contender for tourism dollars among neighboring Laguna Beach and San Clemente. Work to be done will be centered between Blue Lantern to the north and Golden Lantern to the south. Plans to turn two major thoroughfares — Del Prado and Pacific Coast Highway — into two-lane roadways are also in the works.

The plan focuses on revitalization and establishes a framework of public improvement. Plans to push it through a few years ago after it was swiftly approved by the California Coastal Commission were undermined when the economy ground to a halt. Now, the City Council will review how to fund the project's $16 - $19 million price tag in the next few months.

"This is important," City Manager Doug Chotkevys said. "The Town Center is the heart of the city. It pulls us all together. It's not just about visitors it's also about locals. I'm working with the City Council to look for ways to find the necessary funding."

The plan will create an identity and give Dana Point something beyond the harbor attraction. The downtown will become a destination for an area that now lacks opportunities for tens of thousands of guests who overnight at the Doubletree Guest Suites Doheny Beach, Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel and St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa.

While the plan aims to pump up Dana Point's image, it will keep the family-oriented, beach community feel of the city — something Dana Point traditionalists view as part of the city's heritage.

ROMA, the design firm hired by the city, wants to make the downtown a mellow place to hang out. There will be outdoor cafes, widened sidewalks and soothing landscaping. Speeds will be slowed down making it safer for pedestrians, bikes and cars. A surf museum and possible arts collection could be used to retain the town's character. Key attractions in the plan include an emphasis on the city's coastal history including seven miles of coastline linking Capistrano Beach, Dana Point and Monarch Beach. The plan also links the Town Center with harbor businesses and activities.

For many the project, and with it a new branding of the city, can come none too soon. Local resorts have long complained that their guests lack places to go in town at night. The St. Regis and the Ritz-Carlton both count on Laguna Beach as an attractive destination for guests who want to leave the resort grounds, said Heather Johnston, executive director for the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.

In 2010, the Dana Point Tourism Business Improvement District was formed. With it the four resort general managers and the town's city manager formed a board to work on branding the city to make it compatible with four-and-five-star resort properties. They agreed to a self assessment fee of $3 from every overnight stay toward a fund to market Dana Point for tourism. They contracted with an agency that has created a new logo and brand for the city.

Dana Point's identity crisis may not only come from its lacking downtown. Several communities within city boundaries choose to call their locations something other than Dana Point. Capistrano Beach may be the most notable. The community on the city's southern end bordered with San Clemente has its own zip code and history separate from Dana Point.

Related Links

Point where Coast Hwy. divides as it passes through downtown Dana Point. The city is planning a $19 million redo of the area that will make it more walkable, dynamic, and attractive for visitors. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Dave Boehne, owner of Infinity Surf Boards in Dana Point is looking forward to the planned changes to the downtown area in Dana Point. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The beautification project along the median of Pacific Coast Highway entering Dana Point is part of the planned $19 million redo of the downtown area. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Joaquin Garcia, bartender at Luxe Restaurant and Martini Bar in Dana Point, tends to customers. The planned $19 million redo of the city's downtown area is intended to benefit businesses and visitors alike. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jim Khadivi, owner of Luxe Restaurant and Martini Bar, believes the planned changes to the downtown Dana Point area will benefit his businesses. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The St. Regis Resort & Spa in Niguel Road in Dana Point is involved with other resorts in trying to help brand the city's image to refelct the 4 and 5-star resorts. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Harbor House Cafe is popular dining stop for locals along Coast Hwy. in Dana Point. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Harbor House Cafe has been serving customers in downtown Dana Point since the 1940's. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A look along Coast Hwy. at Amber Lantern in Dana Point. The city is planning a $19 million redo of their downtown area to make it more walkable and attractive to visitors. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Dana Point. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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